Four Swords: Legend of the Sealed Mages
by Fivelinksjourney
Summary: A letter from the Princess sends Link to defeat Vaati. However, things are not as they seem. An old evil lurks, with stolen power that rivals the Sages... With the past constantly haunting them, will the new reincarnations of the 4 Sword Heroes succeed?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

(Link's PoV)**  
**

_A mere century ago, the evil Wind Sorcerer known only as Vaati escaped for the third time since his original imprisonment within the Four Sword Shrine. Before he could begin to wreak havoc, he was quickly confronted by a brave soul. The Princess of the era immediately sent her Hero after him, armed with the legendary Four Sword. While the sorcerer was still getting used to his body, the hero- who had been split into four- attacked. The four easily defeated him before any damage was done. Strangely enough, the hero reported that the notorious villain did not put up much of a fight, even in the end..._

_And now Vaati has escaped once more. I know not how this can possibly have occurred, as my predecessor took care to strengthen the seal holding him, but I need you to stop him. Link, you are the next Hero. The Goddesses have chosen you; they have shown us the signs, as they always have, and guided us to you. It is your destiny to save the land of Hyrule._

_Do not fail me Hero, without you there is no hope. As Vaati is already free, you may claim the Four Sword without fear of releasing any sealed evil. Hurry to the castle once you have done so. Please help us, you are our only chance._

_-Princess Zelda Nohansen Hyrule VI-_

I read the letter to myself for what must have been the tenth time, thinking hard. I'm some kind of hero? How am I supposed to be a HERO? I'm no one special, but now the Princess of all people is telling me that I'm some legendary warrior who's destined to save Hyrule! Sure, I'm pretty good with a sword, but... Is this really my destiny? Well, whether it's true or not, I'll do my best, for my friends, for my home, and for the Princess, though I've never met her before. Guess it's time to head out, huh?

I put on the hat and tunic that had been sent to me along with the letter, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Why does the fabric have to be so thick? I'm sweating already... Anyway, I can't really complain, can I? If this letter's true, then the Princess of Hyrule herself sent me these clothes. I should be honored, not worrying about the material! I'll just have to learn to deal with these things if I ever want to be at all like the Heroes from the legends.

I strap my simple short sword to my back with a resigned sigh. I guess there aren't any other preparations to make, time to say goodbye. My aunt and uncle are waiting for me outside. I hug them both and accept their praise, repeatedly assuring them that I'll be fine. Everyone was so surprised when I told them that I'm going to be the new Hero. The other boys seemed a bit jealous, but I don't see why they should be.

I mean, even in the legends heroes faced a lot of danger. Some of them even gave up their lives... It's not all fun and games, and I'd be stupid to think that. After all, our village guards the shrine for a reason. We keep Hyrule safe in our own little way. That's a big responsibility in itself, but because of it, this village is all I know. The idea of leaving scares me, but at the same time I feel... excited. I don't really understand it, but that's how I feel. Maybe it's because I'm this "hero" person?

I give the only family I knew one last wave and start to jog down the path to the forest. I had never been allowed into the sanctuary grove before, so I'm not quite sure how to get there in the first place. We only guard the entrance to the forest; we never venture too far into the woods. After all, there are supposed to be monsters in here. I nod to the guards stationed at the entrance and head on through, into the unknown. The worn dirt path is very faint now, leaving only an endless sea of trees stretching out all around me as far as the eye can see. I'd better be careful not to stray from it.

It's so quiet here... I feel like I shouldn't make a sound, as if it would be disrespectful somehow. This forest is ancient, and the shrine has been here for countless centuries. One story my grandma told me a long time ago even said that there used to be two shrines held within these woods, and a village of forest spirits... I never believed it then, but now, being here, I think I'm starting to. This place just gives off that kind of feeling.

After following the path for a while I run into a massive stone door covered in vines. The building stands alone, surrounded by trees taller than any I had ever seen in my life. I look around, trying to see how big this place is, but the forest has taken over much of the clearing, blocking my view. This place obviously hasn't been disturbed in a long time... The building, though covered in vines, seems completely undamaged. I push the door open and step inside. The room I entered is made of plain stone, nothing remarkable about it at all; just a simply entryway. I start to walk towards the door on the opposite side. As soon as I had taken a step away from the entrance, I hear a click. I spin around in surprise. Great. Just my luck. The building just locked me in, impossible as that seems.

I'm about to run across the room and check the other door when two ugly pig-like things suddenly appear in a puff of acrid black smoke. Each of them holds a spear in its grubby hands, swinging it back and forth a bit clumsily. A single word suddenly pops into my head as they stand there scowling at me from the center of the room: "bokoblins". Is that what these creatures are? I review all of my swordsmanship lessons for a moment, smiling a little in anticipation as I quickly go over each move in my mind. Time to put all I've learned to good use.

First things first, divide and conquer. I shouldn't let any enemy surround me, not if I want to live. These guys seem pretty stupid to me, so that should be easy enough. All I need to do is annoy them a bit. "Hey, pig-face! Come and get me!", I taunt one of them with a rude smirk, my sword drawn. It runs at me right away, proving its obvious stupidity. "Lesson one: horizontal slash!"

I swing my sword as I recite the name of the move I'm using, knocking the startled creature back. One more hit should do it. "Lesson two: vertical slash!" It screams as my sword rips into its shoulder, exploding in a puff of black dust and acrid smoke as it dies.

The second bokoblin comes at me after a minute, having only just now realized that its companion was defeated. These things _definitely_ don't have much brains. Time to take down the second one... I'll use my favorite attack. Might as well end this quickly. I haven't been injured so far, but there's no need to push my luck. Let's see if I can time this right... "Spin attack!" It falls with a yelp of pain and disappears just like the first one did. A green rupee shows up in its place. Okay, that's just a little bit weird. Well, more like a heck of a lot, but maybe this is just how being a hero works? For all I know, maybe all monsters randomly drop things when you kill them. It's not like I have a lot of experience with monsters in the first place, after all.

The doors click, unlocking themselves. I have no clue how they just did that, but I guess there's no point in questioning dungeon logic at this point. As hero, I'm sure I'll be dealing with this kind of thing often. I open the door on the far side and step into the forest again. The path continues on this side of the building. It must have been a gatehouse a long time ago. The road ahead of me is littered with little red monsters wandering about aimlessly. Another name shows up in my mind, "octoroks." How do I know what these creatures are called after seeing them...? No, this is no time to space out! I need to stay focused. I can see another door off in the distance. This little journey is going to be longer than I thought...

**-Four Sword Sanctuary-**

The first thing I see as I step into the cool, shaded chamber is a sword, gleaming gently in the early morning light shining in through the open ceiling and stained glass windows depicting Hyrule's history. I've entered the Four Sword Shrine, then? This place is so overwhelming, so, so _important_... Am I seriously doing this? No, I have to calm down. But... What if I do something wrong? What if this only makes things worse? What if... What if they've got it wrong, and I'm not this "Hero of Destiny" they think I am? I shake my head to clear these disturbing thoughts from my mind and take a deep breath.

I step forward and grasp the sword's spiraling hilt in both hands. Even though most of the actual blade is sheathed in stone, I can still tell that it's beautiful. The hilt fits perfectly in my grip, as if it was made for me. The pommel gem is a clear, flawless crystal disk that shimmers in the light, almost seeming to possess a glow of its own. Said gem, shaped like a smooth, slightly flattened egg, is held securely to the hilt within a loop of golden metal. As I look down at the sword, I notice a stylized eye carved into the pedestal in which it rests. I wrench my gaze away with a small shudder and murmur a quiet prayer to the Goddesses. That eye looks like it was taken straight from one of the books of legends I read when I was little... It's _Vaati's_ symbol.

I take another look at the carving and suddenly it doesn't seem so scary anymore. It's almost as if it's trying to tell me something... No, that's crazy. I'm just imagining things, trying to put this off because I'm nervous. Vaati's not here, he escaped already. Taking the sword won't let anything loose, there's nothing here to release in the first place. I'm not a little kid anymore, I need to be brave.

Swallowing dryly in a fruitless attempt to calm myself, I tighten my grip on the blade's hilt. It's now or never... I silently count down from three and begin to pull. I thought it wouldn't come out without a bit of work, but the blade slides out of the stone as effortlessly as if the pedestal isn't even there, sending me flailing backwards with a startled yelp. Time slows to a crawl as I fall to the floor, sword in hand. The Four Sword is shining brightly, gleaming with a pure white light from blade-tip to pommel stone. A strange feeling floods my body, as if I was being ripped apart, though I don't feel any pain.

That same white light suddenly surrounds me, blinding me for a moment and leaving my vision blurry. The sword's glow dies down as I land, hitting the cold stone floor hard. I let out a small sound at the sudden impact, startled as time once again begins to flow normally. I hear a small chorus of groans and a single quiet shriek, coming from my right. Surprised, I look around as my vision clears a little. Sitting on the ground next to me are three boys, looking just like me but each sporting a different-colored hat and tunic.

"What the..." I blink once to clear my vision completely. The one in blue rubs his eyes and stares right back at me, the one in red looks at me and the other two doppelgangers in confusion, and the third one, wearing purple, seems calm and just a little bit bored. I stand quickly, holding the Four Sword in my left hand. I warily unsheathe my other blade, thinking this is another test. "You want a fight then, huh?" the blue "Link" yells, pulling a pair of blades out as well. We both pause for a moment, staring at each other's weapons. In his hands are an exact copy of my trusty old blade and what appears to be the Four Sword, though his bears a blue gem where mine now has a green one. I glance at the other two, noting that they each hold a copy of the Four Sword, too, the color of the pommel stone matching their tunics.

We're about to cross blades anyway when our red twin stands and jumps between us. "We don't need to fight! Please don't fight!" He whimpers a little towards the end, on the verge of tears. Maybe it's not a test, then? I decide to sheathe my swords first. The boy in blue mirrors my actions after a moment, though he still looks like he wants to fight.

The boy in purple stands up and calmly brushes himself off, looking at me. "It seems that the legend is true. "He who draws this blade shall split into four." Did you forget?" I feel really stupid all of a sudden; I _did_ forget. "Just like it says, we've been split into four, each of us holding part of "Link's" original personality," he explains.

"Oh, right," I chorus along with the other two, this alone almost proving that we're all "Link." I sigh a little bit.

"Well, what am I supposed to call you three then? We can't all be "Link," right?" The "Link" in blue says huffily. I get the feeling he thinks he deserves to keep the name Link.

The red-clad boy speaks up suddenly, looking like he has an idea. "Hey, I know! We're all wearing different-colored clothes, right? So..." He points at each of us in turn with a big, innocent smile. "You're wearing green, so you can be Green! I'm wearing red, so I'm Red, and you're Blue-" He is cut off by the rudest among us.

"That's stupid," barks the newly-named "Blue."

"I-is not!" "Red" responds weakly, looking hurt.

The violet-clad boy taps one foot against the floor. "What about me, then?" he asks, ignoring Blue.

"Yeah what do we call him, _Purple_?" Blue asks scornfully, trying to prove that this is stupid. I have to admit he has a point; Purple is an awkward name. Maybe we could shorten it to Purp, but that still sounds weird.

"Are you trying to insult me?" the yet-unnamed boy asks quietly, though you can easily see the anger flashing in his eyes.

"Maybe I am. And so what? You tryin' to pick a fight, "Purple"?" Blue shouts back. This is going to be a long, _long_ journey.

"As if. You're too stupid to warrant my time," the purple-clad boy responds in a bored tone, though it has an edge of anger to it.

"That's it, you're dead meat!" Blue is enraged by this and unsheathes one of his blades. Red gets in between them just like he did before with Blue and I, looking upset.

"Please don't fight!" he says in his innocent way again. "Please, _please_ don't!"

I step forward to back him up, adding my voice to the conversation. "We don't need to fight amongst ourselves."

He continues once Blue reluctantly puts his blade away. "Anyway, I have an idea! The color purple can also be called "Violet," right? So," he says excitedly, pointing at the purple-clad boy. "You can be "Vio!"

...Huh?

"It's short for "Violet"," he explains sheepishly, realizing by our identical blank stares that the rest of us didn't understand the connection.

I step forward and throw my arm over the purple-clad "Link's" shoulders. "Welcome to the club then, Vio."

He thinks about it for a moment, then smiles a little. "...I like it. It has a nice ring to it."

"How come he gets a fancy name?" Blue yells, annoyed.

"Oh, will you give it a rest already?" I snap at him, my patience wearing thin. I don't know why, but everything about Blue makes me annoyed for some reason. Maybe because it shows me how irritatingying I- I mean "Link"- can be when he's being stubborn or angry... Blue just got the most annoying qualities, I guess.

An eerie, disembodied laugh echoes through the air and I look up. The gems in all four of the Four Swords' hilts have changed color to a shimmering, pure pitch black for a moment as an oddly familiar voice echoes through the air, that of a boy. I'm sure I've never heard it before, though, so why do I feel like I have? Vio looks a bit preoccupied, while Red and Blue don't even notice the voice.

"_Heheheh, you four are JUST like them. And here I was hanging around this place waiting for ya to show up... Guess I was all worried for nothing. You'll do fine. Wish I could come along, but hey, you can't even see me! The "Darkness" isn't needed this time around... Well, actually, I hope it won't be. If it is, well... Nah, no need to get ya'll upset over nothing. Forget I said anything."_

The voice trails off and I get the feeling its owner, whoever he is, is looking at Vio.

"_...Never mind. Ya'll couldn't possibly remember me anyway. I'm the only one who didn't get to be reincarnated, after all. The Goddesses must've decided someone needed to remember the past..."_

What's this guy saying? Reincarnated? Remember the past? Then again, his voice _does_ sound familiar... Almost as if I've met him before. Vio is looking at a certain spot in midair, behind the pedestal. I notice with a little jolt that my vision is getting a little blurry. Wait, why am I spacing out like this all of a sudden? I just can't seem to focus... It looks like Red and Blue are a little dazed, too. What's going on...?

**-...-**

(Vio's PoV)

I stare at the translucent grey-clad boy in front of me, my eyes narrowing slightly. Red, Green and Blue all have a far-away look in their eyes, obviously dead to the world.

"What did you do to them? What are you after?"

"_You... You can see me, can't ya? Heheh. Should've figured you'd remember me a bit more than the others would. After all, we... ...*sigh* Never mind. Anyway, I just wanted to, uh, talk to you in private for a sec."_

"Huh?"

He's... confusing. I can't understand him at all, not like I can with the others. Blue, Red and Green are easy for me to figure out, but this boy... It's almost as if there's nothing there to read. ...No, more like I just can't see it. I feel like I should be able to, though, so why can't I? I can barely see him as is, and all I can really make out are those gray clothes... He chuckles quietly, looking almost a bit sad for a second.

"_Look, I shouldn't even be doing this in the first place. But hey, that's never stopped me before, so why should it now? Anyway, this is what I'm "after," as you said."_

A small flash of light gleams from the general area of where his hands most likely are, though it's not very strong. When it fades, a small, obviously solid book floats in the air before him.

"_This belonged to the Vio I remember... I want you to have it."_

The book gently floats into my hands and I look at it for a moment, and then return my gaze to him. "The Vio you remember?"

He laughs again. _"You'll figure it out eventually. You always were the 'smart one,' after all. I'd better go, I don't want to get in trouble with the Goddesses."_

"Are you some kind of spirit, then?"

"_To tell ya the truth, I'm not really sure what I am at this point. See ya later, Vio."_

He slowly fades out of view before I can say anything else and the others shake their heads, blinking dazedly.

"Wh-what just happened...?" Red asks a little sleepily, while Blue just looks grumpy as usual. Green is quiet. I think he may have been able to hear that boy like I could, but somehow I doubt that he could see him.

"He gave me a book."

They all look at me blankly, waiting for a better explanation. I laugh a little inside. "The voice we heard, he gave me a book." I don't know how I can possibly explain what happened, how I felt when I saw that boy... No, I don't _want_ to explain it. Somehow, I just know, deep down, that they won't understand.

Blue scowls. "What in Hyrule are you talking about? What voice?"

"I didn't hear anything," adds Red, looking confused.

"Don't worry about it, guys. It was nothing," Green chimes in, sticking up for me. Looks like he understands... A little, at least.

"Thanks," I tell him quietly, strapping the book to my belt. The moment I do, I suddenly feel a lot less tense than I did before... Like it belongs there, somehow. Will I ever see that boy again? I hope so.

"...Shadow..." I whisper quietly to myself, my hand resting on the book's sturdy leather cover. I'm not even sure why I said it. It's so strange. Before that boy showed up, everything was clear and simple, but something felt wrong deep down, empty. Now I'm all flustered and confused, but... I feel... _happy_. Emotions are so hard to deal with. I sigh quietly and follow the others out of the sanctuary, keeping to myself.

"That purple-boy is _weird_," Blue mutters. Red hits him on the arm, muttering something I can't hear. We walk out of the Sacred Grove in single file, even Blue keeping quiet in respect for this place. The next destination is the Castle; I can't help but have butterflies in my stomach at the thought of meeting the Princess. I always wanted to- well, _Link_ always wanted to. Somehow, I think the others are much more nervous than I am. It's weird thinking about this, that I'm no longer Link; I had always been Link. ...Or had I?

That boy... He said something about "the Vio he remembered." So maybe each of us is truly someone else? But that doesn't make any sense. Link drew the Four Sword and we appeared, just as the legend states. But then, how come I don't remember much about Link's life? Green obviously does, though I don't have a clue about Red's standpoint; and I doubt Blue even bothers to think about that kind of thing, if he even thinks much in the first place.

We must all remember his life, just in different ways. Green has the actual memories themselves, most likely. He seems the most like Link, after all. Maybe that was just at first glance, though. ...No, looking at him now, he's still the most like Link. But if we're all Link, then what part of him could Red have possibly come from? Okay, I need to stop thinking about this, NOW. I'm giving myself a headache-

"Hey, look! Is that the castle?"

Red's voice thankfully interrupts my thoughts as I look up. Just as he said, the castle can be seen far off in the distance. That was fast. I guess our steady pace of a simple brisk walk paid off.

"No, Red, it's a giant Rupee. Of _COURSE _it's the castle, you idiot!" Blue yells in his least endearing tone, smacking Red.

Green shakes his head and I just sigh. How are we possibly going to survive this adventure with him along?

"Knock it off, Blue. Let's just go," Green says in one of those voices that somehow instantly makes you feel like you should listen to him.

"Who made you leader?" Apparently, Blue is immune to such things. So much for giving myself a headache... I almost forgot that Blue _is_ one. Letting out another sigh, I decide to intervene.

"Look, it doesn't matter. We all have our strengths. Yours is obviously combat, not leadership," I point out. "After all, you took out a lot more of those Octoroks than us and didn't even break a sweat earlier."

"Humph." Blue replies, crossing his arms and looking away. He doesn't argue with me, though he's too stubborn to actually admit he's wrong, of course.

"On to Hyrule Castle, then," Green says with a sigh. I can tell he hopes the meeting with Zelda will go without incident. Namely without us fighting amongst ourselves. And by fighting amongst ourselves, I mean Blue fighting with one of us or bullying Red. I honestly don't know if I'm going to be sane by the end of this journey.

**A/N**

**Well first I think we both want to thank you guys for reading. And if you Review, we double-thank you.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the beginning. This story is a collaboration made using the amazing-ness of Google docs. It has been written by i-wish-799 and Nira Rose. Who are very happy to be working together.**

**So you all know the next chapter will focus on the first of the mages(the favorite of your authoresses). It will be a little pity party for the imprisoned mage. **

**anyways please tell us what you think, We both love your opinions.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

**-Sky-Tall Tower, the highest spire in the Palace of Winds-**

(No one's PoV)

A short young man leans against the wall of his cell, a pair of thick metal shackles binding his wrists and ankles. A small, simple purple apprentice's cap with a silver crescent moon embroidered on it pokes out of one pocket, seeming to be too small for his head, and his clothes are that of a magic user, though a bit strange. His outfit is mainly dark purple in color, with puffy red shorts and red sandals that strap around his ankles. His belt is golden in color, with a buckle that looks a bit like an eye. A worn, ratty brown cloak hangs loosely off his narrow shoulders, its hood down. He pulls at the chains weighing him down but they don't budge, securely bolted to the floor via locked clasps.

The boy sighs to himself and leans against the wall again, his single visible ruby-red eye gazing forlornly at the plain stone ceiling. The red eyes aren't the only feature that sets this youth apart from ordinary Hylians, however, nor would they be the first thing one would notice. His skin is a pale shade of grayish purple, with long, straight lavender hair that sways slightly as if in a breeze even though he's indoors. Long bangs cover half of his face, while a dark purple tattoo is inscribed below his eye.

"What does that old fool want with me this time?" he mumbles. "First he kept me from going home, then tricked me, cursed me, and framed me... No one remembers my true history at all because of that pig. I'm just some evil villain who kidnaps pretty girls, apparently. Do they even believe in my people's existence any more...? Not that it matters," the boy says quietly with a bitter, self-mocking laugh. It's not like anyone is here to hear him, so he for once feels free to speak his true thoughts and feelings.

"Wasn't it enough to trick me into helping you the first time, and all the times afterward in which you tormented me? As humiliating as that was, I guess you still haven't become bored with me yet. So now you decide to abuse my powers again? I was wrong when I tried to steal the "light force." I was just as wrong the second time, when you cursed me into that disgusting form... You said if I cooperated, you would release me from that hideous shape, but you just used me as a distraction and meat shield. The third time, you controlled me directly. All I could do was watch from the back of my mind... The Goddesses alone know how I managed to keep hold of myself with you possessing me for so long." He takes a deep breath, pausing his heartfelt speech.

"When the heroes finally imprisoned us both again, it still wasn't enough for you. You escaped, and after a few years, I followed. I thought it would be safe for me. Safe as long as I didn't cause any trouble. I'm sick of all that anyway. You were gone... Hihihi, you just wanted me to think that. You were pulling the strings all along, as always. I went high into the mountains to wait until the year when I would finally be able to return to my people. As I sat there, the Links appeared, followed by Princess Zelda." His clenched fists shake violently as the youth gives up his decidedly weak attempt to retain what little composure he has left.

"You framed me! You sent out an exact copy of that disgusting freak to attack an innocent village so they would think I was causing havoc again, then made it look like I still had the cap, of all things! It's a surprise you even know about it. I don't want to think about how foolish I was back then, so why must you remind me of it while forcing me to do even worse things? The new set of heroes did not remember the past, they didn't know the truth. You made quite

certain of that. The only book in Hyrule that still contains my story belonged to the "Link" with good fashion sense, and it disappeared after he was gone. By command of the _________Princess_, they imprisoned m-me... again..." He tries to blink back his tears, though there's no one to see them. A few escape regardless, rolling down his ashen, violet-tinted skin.

"And here you are, dangling false freedom in my face as always. Why do I always, always fall for it...? I should have stayed in the sword, where you can't touch me. The Goddesses gave me that small mercy, allowing the sacred qualities of their second holy blade to protect rather than destroy or kill me..."

The boy coughs quietly, continuing his quiet, lonely little speech. "Being sealed away is what brought my consciousness back after you lost control of me when the Mirror shattered. If it hadn't been for that, you would have won. I'd be the perfect tool for you, with no memory of who I really am left. When I finally tried to slip out again, thinking I was finally safe, you were waiting. I may have my mind to myself this time, but you've set your greedy eyes on my power instead. You intend to use it to strengthen yourself, to rival the sages. It will never work." A bitter smile twists his features while more tears escape those eerie red eyes, the hurt contained within them far too deep to ever fully express.

"You should know better by now. The Hero will ___________always_ prevail. Or in our case, the four Heroes. I can feel them, faintly... The sword has been drawn once more. I won't let you defile my name any longer. Though you're trying to steal my power, I will in no way give it up without a fight. I don't care how strong you are, I'm not going to just sit here and let you use me again! I won't!"

Even as he says these brave words he bursts into tears, knowing full well that he can't fight forever. Already his strength is nearly gone, and he knows it. The false demon will soon control his powers and wield them against the Heroes, who would never once suspect that the true wielder of these powers is, and has always been, a victim.

"Oh, how I loathe you, Ganon... Curse you, you pig-faced, foul, black-hearted bastard..."

He knows his insults don't matter. Even if Ganon could hear him, he would only laugh. The Goddesses only know how many times various incarnations of the Princess Zelda must have called him such things. "I hope the Heroes finish you off for good this time. I know that isn't likely, as you bear the Force of Power, but..." He could always dream, right? He knows the Heroes could, _____________would_ beat Ganondorf again; they always did.

"Please, Link... Would you save me, too?" he asks quietly, those pained ruby red eyes gazing uncertainly down at the cold stone floor beneath him. "Like you did, so long ago..."

Fresh tears stream down his face as he continues to speak, his small form trembling with the force of his emotions.

"I-I'm sorry, Link. I couldn't tell you. That I was still here... I didn't want you to worry about me. I should have shown myself to you, one last time. Maybe you could have stopped Ganon's plans..." the boy whimpers, guilt, loneliness and misery mixing freely in his shaky, choked-up voice.

He tries to touch something hidden beneath his shirt collar, straining against the chains holding him. He pulls harder against his restraints until they cut into his wrists, but still can't quite reach his goal. After a few stubborn moments more of trying, he gives up, sighing in defeat.

"Maybe they really _will_ save me. Maybe they'll see past the illusion this time. Maybe... ...Yeah, right. The Goddesses hate me. The Princess hates me. The current Links so far have all hated me. _Everyone_ hates me. It's a surprise the Four Sword protects me at all in the first place." A bitter laugh escapes his lips at this and he bows his head, the strain of his inner battle catching up to him. The boy's body trembles with exhaustion both mental and physical as he falls into a fitful, troubled sleep...

________

_"Oh, little child of Wind... The burden you carry is heavy indeed. Your very life has been stolen from you, robbed from your time and homeland alike. On top of this, the evil king has done your heart much harm. I should have realized the Sword's protection alone would not be enough. The power you bear is too much of a temptation for that man."_

A beautiful, ethereal woman gazes at the sleeping youth, kneeling down to place a cool hand on his forehead. It's hot to the touch, he clearly has a high fever. The woman's emerald green eyes are filled with warmth and compassion as she looks at the boy, her gaze kind, but not pitying or belittling in any way.

"But of course you would be a great prize in his eyes. You have been touched by all three of the relics that make up this land. Wisdom, then known to you as the "Light Force..." Courage, as the friend you so greatly miss aided you in returning to your senses... Power, through the possession of your body by that man... And yet you still live, and know yourself. You are not hated, little one. Though not Hylian, you are a child of the Forest by birth and of the Wind by nature. Why would I not care for one who is so clearly one of the children of "Courage?" Of course, I know you are likely to dismiss my words as a mere fever dream, but I hope they shall be a comfort to you nonetheless..."

She smiles gently and carefully slips something out of the tightly folded collar looping around the boy's neck, placing the small object in his hand, then stands up and disappears in a subtle swirl of light and wind. The unconscious youth instinctively relaxes when he feels the item's comforting weight in his grip, the strained look on his face melting away.

__

"Do not despair. I and my sisters can clearly sense that things shall be different this time... Vaati."

* * *

**A/N- Hi there! Guess it's my turn for the A-Note, huh? This is Nira Rose, by the way. i-wish-799 is busy with school beginning where she lives, but for me it's still summer vacation. As she said before, we're very much enjoying creating this fanfic together, and grateful to all readers (please review, too!). I'm not sure what else to say, except for a sincere request for you guys and girls to review, so that's all for now... This might be updated with comments from i-wish-799 later, I guess. Bye!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

**-Hyrule Castle-**

(Zelda's PoV)

"I see them. The four Heroes shall be here shortly." Sheik's soft voice startles me as he lightly jumps down from his perch on the windowsill. I had almost completely forgotten he was there; he can be so quiet when he wants to be.

I look up at my twin, who's gazing out the window of my bedroom again, telescope in hand. Of course, no one but us knows who he really is since Father died... He grew up among the Sheikah clan, training to protect me. We really are similar. Both of us were born with a slight build, fair skin and pale blond hair. The only differences between us are our eyes and the fact that he's male, while I'm female. Besides that we could easily be mistaken for each other; even the length of our hair is the same. Though of course, with a little magic, anything is possible.

"The legends are correct, then? There are four who were one?"

He nods. "Looks like it. They're almost identical save the colors of their tunics, my dear Princess." He executes a stately bow with a dramatic flourish and I giggle. Oh Sheik, you just love to tease me, don't you?

"Sheik, don't be silly. You know there's no need to be so formal when it's just us," I lightly scold him, trying to sound stern. I don't think I succeeded, though.

He laughs. "I know. I just felt like it. Anyway, are you sure this is a good idea? Will it work?"

I can tell he's nervous about our plan. So am I, but if I admit it, we'll both be even more nervous about it than we already are. I nod, not letting my anxiety show. "It will. It has to. Come on, we need to get ready."

We have to be presentable for the Heroes when they get here. After all, I'm a princess and Sheik is a prince, though he plays the role of a Sheikah bodyguard instead... He's so lucky he's the male twin; he doesn't have to sit through meetings and deal with all the tedious politics of running a kingdom like I do. Traditions can be so very irritating at times. Of course, he has to train a lot more than I do when it comes to the art of fighting, so I guess things balance out in the end.

The young man in question fake-pouts. "But I _like_ looking like an ordinary peasant!"

I give him a mock glare, using my best Princess voice. "Sheik of the honorable and ancient Sheikah clan, as my primary bodyguard after Lady Impa retired and passed her post on to you, you need to have some dignity and pride in your position. And that means wearing your uniform," I fake-scold, acting out another of our little games with a straight face.

He laughs, pointing at the simple frock I'm wearing. "Then the little Princess had best get herself dressed up too, else the Heroes will mistake you for a maid!" I want to argue, but my dress _is_ considered inappropriate for my station. I've even used it to sneak into town unnoticed before. Because I can't think of a good argument, I simply grab the nearest pillow and take aim.

I throw it as hard as I can, smacking him right in the face. Honestly, we need to be serious about this! I know he's just goofing around to keep me from being so nervous, but the least he could do is to not be so obvious about it...

"Oof! Nice shot," he says approvingly, trying to hide the fact that he let the pillow hit him on purpose. I can tell, though. There is no way I could ever hit him if he didn't let me. Though I have gotten much better at fighting than anything the weapons master will teach me under his training, he's still much better than me. Though, for someone who was not trained as a Sheikah, my skills might pass. I'm quite good with a bow and arrow, of course. In fact, I'm better than Sheik. It's an accomplishment I'm very proud of. Sheik doesn't get to practice with me often, as we are forced to do it in secret. And of course the weapons master would never willingly teach me any true fighting skills, it isn't Princess-like. Even so, I have to be able to protect myself. Sheik, on the other hand... He needs to protect us both. He's been training even harder lately, ever since Miss Impa left.

"Come on, time for us both to get changed." We really must hurry if they're as close as Sheik said they were. I also need a distraction from where my thought process keeps trying to go.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he fake-complains. "Let's get ready to meet the Heroes! Heheh, wonder how surprised they'll be to see that the demure little Princess of Hyrule is really just a feisty girl at heart!"

"I can be quite Princess-like when I try, you know," I point out, a sudden wave of nausea hitting me as I think of our plan and how much counts on it. If I can't act like the princess I am, then the Heroes may not trust me when the time comes. We both need to play our roles perfectly for this to work. Sheik just laughs again, his voice sounding a bit empty, and heads to his room to get changed. He truly is just as nervous as I am... There's no use delaying this any longer. I'd best get ready as well.

**-Hyrule Field-**

(Red's PoV)

"Are we THERE yet?" Blue growls from up ahead, looking annoyed. "We've been walking FOREVER!"

"Calm down, Blue, we should be there soon," Green answers him.

Vio's being quiet, walking along with his hand on that book. It looks pretty. Well, as pretty as a book can be, anyway. Oops, I'm falling behind! I break into a little jog for a few seconds to catch up with the others, trailing along after Blue like I've been doing so far. I should be more careful not to lag behind; my legs are a little shorter than theirs. Anyway, Blue's actually pretty nice to me. He got mad when I grabbed the edge of his tunic one time, but otherwise he lets me follow him without yelling at me or anything. He seems really mean at first, but I think he's really a nice guy deep down! He's just shy!

"Hey, Blue?" I ask. "What do you think the Princess looks like? Is she pretty?"

"How should I know? Link has never met her!" Blue looks like he wants to whack me with something again, but Vio interrupts him.

"We should be there in a few minutes... We'll find out then."

Wow, that really surprised me! Vio's been really, really quiet ever since we left the Four Sword Sanctuary. Green speaks up before I have a chance to comment on the sudden change in Vio's mood.

"Okay, I expect all of us to be on our best behavior. Red, try not to get too emotional, and if you don't understand something, please don't make a fool of yourself. Vio, be friendly, make a good impression. Blue, don't pick any fights and try not to insult anyone. Please, you guys, this is very important to me, and to us. Above all, make a good impression." Green tries to say it nicely, but it still hurts a bit.

Vio's quiet, making a face that definitely means "I'll be social if I feel like it, and if I don't want to, there's no way in Hyrule you can make me." It's pretty cool how he can say something without even really saying it! Anyway, I think he doesn't like talking much... Vio seems kind of sad about something, maybe that's why he's being so odd and gloomy? I back up a little, expecting Blue to argue or get mad, but he just nods, actually listening for once. He definitely wants to say something though, I can tell. He's so easy to read; well, all of them are, really. Green is the hardest for me to figure out, though.

Since no one else is saying anything, I decide to warn Green just like he warned us. I don't want to be rude, but what he said was kind of hurtful, and like he reminded us, none of us is perfect. We all have our flaws, and we want to make the Princess happy, right?

"Green, um, remember not to be too bossy, okay? If you and Blue start fighting, I don't think the Princess will like it..." Though I said it as nicely as I could, I know he understands the meaning behind it. "Don't be a bossy meanie head." Oh, I did it, too! I said something without saying it, didn't I? Yay!

Though Green doesn't answer, I know he heard me. He understands that I'm just telling him not to cross the line, because he came pretty close. Leaders don't have the right to be mean just because they're leaders. Well, at least I think they don't! Green nods after a moment and we all walk towards the gate that leads to Castle Town together.

**-Hyrule Castle Throne Room-**

(Blue's PoV)

We step into the room together. The Princess and the guy with her take in a sharp breath when they see us. The same thing happened with most of the people we passed earlier. It was really annoying how many idiots asked if we were quadruplets when we went through Castle Town; do I _LOOK_ like I'd ever want to be related to these guys? I guess I have no choice but to get used to it. We look too alike to avoid it, I guess. That prissy smarty pants Vio would probably be surprised that I even know what "avoid" means. Hmph. I'm smarter than I look, but I still say books are for wimps. And how can people think we're related anyway? Red's practically a GIRL the way he acts, no WAY could we be brothers or anything like that!

The Princess is sitting on a high-backed throne with the guy standing behind her. The velvet of the chair is a beautiful deep blue. I smile a little, I love the color blue. Not that that's very surprising since I was wearing blue when I showed up in the first place... I don't mind it one bit; I love wearing blue. No matter what anyone else is wearing, my clothes will always match the sky and the ocean. It makes me wonder how Vio can stand wearing purple, though. Could he actually _like_ wearing such a girly color? Ugh, I don't even want to _think_ about it anymore!

My gaze travels from the deep blue of the throne to the princess herself, she's breathtaking. She's wearing a dark purple dress, it has a symbol of some kind- a standard, I think? - embroidered on the front and light ornamental armor on the shoulders. In her hair sits a tiara that makes it look as if small feathers are growing from behind each ear. Well, I think it's a tiara, at least. For all I know about girls, it could just be a pair of hair clips that just so happen to look like feathers. Or maybe horns... I want to laugh at the thought of the Princess wearing horns, but I manage to hold it in. Stupid Green, his argument made too much sense.

The Princess's hair is really beautiful, falling in perfect blond waves. I watch bits of it sparkle in the sunlight. It's like the golden wheat fields in the summer, but that's a bland comparison. It looks like pure spun gold. Ha, Vio, I'm really not nearly as dumb or brutish as you think! I'm just manly, unlike you, bookworm! Anyway, her eyes are a breathtaking shade of blue, much darker than my own eyes. Mine could be described as the color of a river or spring, while hers would be closer to the evening sky. Her cheeks are rosy, littered with a few freckles, and her lips are that perfect shade of pink. I wonder if she's wearing any makeup or if that's her natural color. My gaze follows her form as she stands to meet us. A gold pendant adorns her neck; it has a single deep blue stone in it that I guess must be a sapphire. It reminds me of her eyes. I try to keep my gaze on her face, but it keeps traveling down her body. She truly is beautiful; I thought the stories were a bit extraordinary, that they were exaggerating. But they weren't. _She's_ just extraordinary.

I tear my gaze away from her wondrous form as she walks towards us and look at my doppelgangers. Green's gaze meets the Princess' first. He's very respectful, bowing to her gracefully. I quickly follow suit, bowing a bit lower than Green. I sneak a quick peek at the others. Red seems completely oblivious, staring past the throne at the guy behind it. What the heck is he doing? Vio's doing it too, but he looks kind of pale. What's that weirdo's problem, seriously? He's always spacing out, then acting like he's all cool and making me look stupid! He really gets on my nerves! Anyway, I guess they must be looking at his weird clothes or something.

The guy behind her is wearing blue, too, but his clothes are seriously odd. And he won't stop staring at us... Seriously, who does he think he is? Wait, maybe he's a guard or something. That makes a little sense, though his looks sure don't. His outfit consists mostly of a skin-tight blue body suit. It's lightly padded and looks like there's chain mail built into some parts. He wears a white shirt-like thing over his chest, with a red eye dyed onto the white material. It has three eyelashes on top and a single bloody tear dripping down from the bottom.

The symbol feels familiar to me. As if I had seen it before, but I can't place it for my life. Well, no sense worrying about it, anyhow. Link probably saw it somewhere before or something. The strangest part of his outfit is _definitely_ the set of white bandages wrapped around his face. They cover his head and his mouth, reminding me of the funeral cloth that's used to wrap dead bodies with... creepy. I noticed more bandages wrapping his fingers. What a stupid, useless thing to do. It must be some kind of weird tradition.

Two blond, wing-like bangs stick out of the cloth wrappings, framing his face. The rest of his long blond hair is braided, with the same white cloth wrapped around it. His most striking feature, even creepier than the bandages, is his deep red eyes, staring at me. Well, _one_ of them is, anyway. His right eye is completely covered with thick blond hair. He flips his hair to get it out of the way, though it quickly returns to its former place after just a moment. That weirdo Vio is _still_ staring at him- huh?

"...Excuse me, I have to go..." Vio whispers before dashing down the hall, away from the princess and her red-eyed guard.

What the HECK? Vio just- That weird bookworm just up and ran! Where in Hyrule does he think he's GOING? He looked really pale, even for him. Is something wrong? I mean, Vio's supposed to be the calm one, right? So for him to freak out... Ugh. This complicated stuff makes my head hurt. Green rushes out of the room after him, apologizing profusely. This leaves me and Red with the Princess and her weird companion. Greeeeaaat. We're doomed.

She smiles calmly at us, not seeming at all angry or upset. Looks like a LOT of the stories about her are true! This is still a pretty bad situation, though. It's up to Red and me to keep things flowing smoothly until those two get back.

"The one of you who wears a violet tunic must have a great weight on his mind. I saw it in his eyes. Would you like to wait until your companions return, Red and Blue Heroes?" she asks politely.

We both nod, knowing Green wouldn't want to fall behind, and neither does the bookworm, probably. And there's no way Green would want the two of us to talk for all four of us, we're each our own person. And I really don't want to admit it, but Vio was right. He _is_ the leader.

The Princess and her odd companion lead us outside to a small balcony overlooking the town. That's it, I can't wait any longer. The guy in blue's seriously creeping me out. His eyes keep locking with mine, and he has such an intense gaze, like he's searching for something... I can't stand it any longer.

"Uh, Princess, not to be rude, but... Who is this guy?" I ask, trying not to sound rude. Red blushes and tries to hit me, but I easily knock his hand aside. Why does he care anyway?

She laughs, seeming to find this amusing. "This is Sheik," she explains. "He's my bodyguard, a member of the Sheikah clan. They're an ancient race whose people have been protecting the royal family for centuries, for as long as the kingdom of Hyrule itself has existed."

He bows, finally speaking up. "I am sorry if my appearance unsettled you. I do not normally don the traditional garb of my clan, as it makes the nobles nervous. However, I felt it was quite called for during the first formal meeting between the Princess and you, the Heroes of the Four Sword," he explains politely. His voice is kind of quiet, and not very deep, either. It's a bit weird how their voices sound so similar. When I look closer, it's almost as if they're... No, that's CRAZY!

"Ummm, are you two brother and sister?" Red asks. "You look alike!"

The fact that we'd been thinking almost the same thing once again proves how similar we really are, though we're still WAAAY different from each other.

"Red, that's a rude thing to ask, stupid!" I'm tempted to hit him, but I probably shouldn't. After all, the Princess is watching us. Plus, I can just hit him later.

"Wow, these heroes are quite perceptive, Zelda," the guy, Sheik, says approvingly, letting out a quiet laugh. Why is he calling her by name if he's just a guard? The nerve of this guy! Could they really be related? Ha, I doubt it.

"They noticed it, though no one else ever has," he continues. Wait, what? Does that mean they really are siblings? Even though it doesn't make too much sense, their looks definitely hint at it a lot. I wonder how no one had managed to notice this before; it's OBVIOUS! I think... Even if it is weird.

"We're twins," the Princess explains, a sly smile gracing her lips.

"You need not worry about the Princess' safety while you journey to defeat Vaati. After all, what need would I have to let any harm come to my dear sister?" Sheik's voice gets a bit teasing towards the end and the Princess smacks him lightly over the head with one gloved hand.

"No need to embarrass me, Sheik. You do it often enough in private." She glares at him as she says this, though a smile is on her lips.

Guess he can get away with this kind of stuff 'cause they're related... Lucky guy. I feel a small pang of jealousy at the way they get along so easily; I wish I could say something like that. Well, I want to say something to her, anything really, but I can't. She's the PRINCESS, for the Goddesses' sakes! Well, I guess I could say something, if it was important. But all I know about Vaati is what Link knew, and that isn't much. Vio probably remembers more than I do, being the bookworm and all-around know-it-all of the group. Wonder where he got to... I'm surprised Green hasn't brought him back yet.

"So Princess, umm, how are we supposed to take down the mean sorcerer anyway?" Red blurts out all of a sudden. Ugh. Red, sometimes your childishness gets _really_ annoying.

"Red, we have to wait for Green and Vio," I remind him, trying not to blow up at him like I usually do.

The panic in his features is obvious as a blush covers his cheeks. "Oh. S-sorry, I forgot."

The Sheikah guy laughs, almost sounding like a girlish giggle. The Princess turns to him and truly glares daggers at him, whispering urgently in his ear. As he looks at the ground, I can swear a blush is flaring his cheeks for a second. The Princess turns to us.

"It's alright, Red, was it? Everyone makes mistakes. And what are you called?" she asks, turning her attention to me.

"I'm Blue, and like you said, this is Red. The guy in purple from before is Vio, and the one in green is, well, Green," I explain, trying not to sound like a total idiot. Goddesses give me patience... Red, why'd you have to come up with such stupid names?

"Simple, yet functional... A good choice of names, I believe. Easy to remember, and yet they still have a nice ring to them," the Princess muses.

Okay, never mind. Red, you're actually kind of smart... sometimes, at least.

"Who came up with them?" she asks. I wince to myself. Red, please don't bring up that I thought they were stupid. Please, PLEASE don't.

"I did!" he chimes in excitedly. He's practically jumping up and down in joy because the Princess approves of his idea. Then he turns to me. Oh Goddesses, please don't say what I think you're going to, Red...

"I told you they weren't stupid names, Blue! Even the Princess thinks they're nice- ...Oops." He stops suddenly, finally realizing how that must sound.

Though I think I hid how embarrassed I am pretty well, Red still saw. I'm sure he did. I pray that the Princess didn't notice.

"Well, they _are_ quite simple," Sheik says suddenly, breaking the awkward silence. I almost forgot he was there for a second, what with him being in that shadowed corner and not making any noise... No wonder he's the Princess' bodyguard.

"I mean, they're just colors," he continues. "They do fit, but thinking it foolish would have been my first reaction, too. Naming someone after a color is a bit childish, after all." As he says this, he steps forward a bit, just enough so that he's now part of the discussion. He's standing between the Princess and Red now. I watch a deep blush cover Red's cheeks. The heck? Why is Red blushing? I hope I'm not as odd as the others are turning out to be. I mean, first Vio was acting weird, and now Red's doing it, too. I hope I'm a bit more normal then the others.

Zelda turns to Sheik. She tries to cover her anger but isn't doing the best job of it. "You _must_ learn to bite your tongue, Princess! It's not your place! Bodyguards are not here to babysit! I can handle- ...!"

Huh? Did she just say _Princess_? Could Sheik be a girl? That would explain the long blonde hair, I guess. But that would mean there are two princesses, right? Guess the nobles would cause a riot if they knew there were two heirs to the throne instead of just one or something... I bet it's some kind of tradition again. Judging by the panicked look in Sheik's red eyes, I'm guessing that Zelda must have just let something important slip. There's a long, awkward pause after the Princess's words, finally broken by Red's high-pitched voice.

"But, aren't _you_ the Princess...?" Red looks at Zelda as he says this, his confusion made obvious by the tone of his voice. I watch her closely as she hesitates, looking for an explanation, I guess.

"Did you just call me a girl?" Sheik interrupts. Is he covering for Zelda?

"What a childish insult, and from my own sister nonetheless!" he continues. "What I said _was_ a bit rude, I admit, but there's no need to tease me about it!" He says this as if he actually feels insulted. I smile to myself; this guy's a good actor. Or is he a girl? Ugh, now I'm all confused.

"I'm sorry, Sheik. You're right, it was childish." She quickly catches on to the new ruse, going along with it.

Red smiles, he's definitely been fooled by this simple trick. Though I don't know what's happening, I know this definitely isn't all as it seems. I'd better keep an eye on Sheik. Zelda, too, though her looks make that pretty easy. Heheh.

"So how long do you think it will take for them to get back?" Red asks, his mind already on a new subject.

"I am not sure. Would you like some juice or cake to pass the time?" the Princess responds. I'm about to politely say no when I realize I'm famished. Green might have said no anyway, but we're stuck waiting for him and I won't let a good snack pass me by.

"Cake...?" Red repeats, his mouth already watering. He reminds me of a puppy right now, begging for a treat.

"And there's pie, too," Sheik adds. My mouth starts to water. I can't help it; I have a weakness for pie. Did he know this somehow? Nah, he couldn't have. It's just a coincidence; and quite a lucky one as far as I'm concerned.

"I would love a slice of pie," I reply slowly, looking up at the Sheikah guy. Red is nodding his head furiously next to me. I hope Green and Vio take their time getting back...

**A/N: Nira Rose here! Chapter 2 may have been small in comparison to the first, but this chapter is about the same length as Chapter 1 word-count-wise, so I hope you enjoy it. I'm sure all Four Sword manga fans can guess why Vio ran off when he saw Sheik's red eyes, of course... ^.^; As you can see, we've been switching viewpoints throughout this chapter, giving you readers more insight into each character's viewpoint. Personally, I think this is a nice touch, letting the reader see how all the characters view things rather than just seeing the point of view of one character or seeing it from a third-person standpoint. The third-person view will probably be used again in the story, of course. It's good for some scenes, and for when a more neutral standpoint is necessary. i-wish-799's half of the A/N will be added in shortly. Please review, guys and girls!**


	4. Chapter 4

_i-wish-799 and Nira Rose don't own LoZ... Much as we wish we did. Anyway, enjoy the story!_

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 4:**

**-Hyrule Field-**

(Green's PoV)

"Goddesses, he runs fast... Vio! Vio, where did you go?"

I double over, my hands on my knees. Where could Vio have gone? Hyrule Field's mostly empty grassland in this area, so there aren't that many places he could be... And he may be fast, but he surely can't have gone _too_ far, right? Some thing's wrong, I can feel it. Judging by the way he acts, Vio is the calmest of all of us. He wouldn't freak out like that without a reason.

"Vio, answer me! Hello?"

I see a large tree up ahead. Maybe he's there? Yeah, I can see someone sitting down, leaning against the tree's trunk. I break into a run again, headed for the tree.

"Vio?"

He looks up. For a second, I could swear I saw someone standing next to him, but when I blink it's gone. This scene, Vio sitting against a tree, feels familiar to me. Like I've seen this many times before, except this time some thing's missing. Oh, I know what it is. He's not reading his book. Vio always liked to read his book under this tree- wait, what? How would I know that when Vio hasn't even been around for a single full day yet? Weird... I break myself out of my thoughts and turn my attention back to him.

"...Red eyes... He had _red eyes..._ Like... Like _him..._"

Is Vio... _crying_? What's going on? I mean, Link barely cries in the first place, so for his calmest, most rational side to break out in tears like this... What in Farore's name just happened? And who's he talking about? Wait, maybe...? As I look at the book strapped to Vio's belt, unsure how to comfort my purple-clad "clone," an idea comes to me.

Earlier, Vio said that a voice he heard gave him that book. I think he's hiding something about that, but unlike Red and Blue, I heard what that voice said. Well, the first part, at least. It was a boy's voice, too. All I know is that he sounded really familiar, even though I _know_ Link never heard his voice before, and that he said something about reincarnation... So is he someone from the past? Someone an ancient Hero- no, someone the _Four Sword Heroes_ knew. The moment I think of this, I'm sure that I'm right. I can feel it.

"Vio, what's wrong? _Who_ had red eyes? What's going on?" I ask gently.

"..."

He looks down, wiping away his tears with one hand. I can tell he doesn't want to open up to me at all. "It's nothing. You didn't see this, Green. Go back to the castle, I need a minute."

I shake my head. "No. I _did_ see. Some thing's bothering you, and it has been ever since that book showed up. I don't know what you heard or saw after I blacked out, but I heard a voice talking to us right before that happened. Vio, _what's going on?_"

"It's _nothing,_ Green," he repeats, scowling at me.

I glare right back. "Don't give me that. I saw you. You were _crying,_ Vio."

His Four Sword's out and pointed at my neck before I can so much as blink. How did he stand up so quickly?

"Go _**away**_, Green."

I back up a bit. "Calm down, will you? I'm just trying to-"

"_**Go. AWAY. **__**NOW.**_"

Goddesses, he's seriously going to attack me!

"Vio-"

_"Oy, cut it out. Getting mad at him won't help ya, Vio."_

We both spin around towards the source of the voice. I'm not sure who's more surprised, me or Vio.

"... O_O " Vio is speechless, his face pale. He almost looks ready to faint.

"You... Just who or what are you? Why can't Red and Blue hear your voice?" I ask slowly, backing away a little more.

The phantasm shrugs. _"Who knows... They don't have as much of a connection to me as you two, I guess," _he says lazily, only answering my second question.

Standing beneath the tree is a translucent boy wearing a dusky gray tunic and cap. The tip of his hat looks strange for some reason, but I can't quite put my finger on it. If it wasn't for the color of his hair and eyes, he'd look just like Vio, Red, Blue and I... I think? He looks like us, but with flame-red eyes and this odd purple hair... Or is it black? I can't tell; he's really blurry to me. He could even have wings sprouting from his back and I wouldn't notice. But... why can I suddenly see him at all in the first place? I couldn't before. And who is he, anyway?

_"...I'm... Well, I have no clue what I'm supposed to be anymore. Ask Vio, or just remember it for yourself. What I used to be, I mean,"_ the boy answers mysteriously. _"Heheh... You can see me too now, huh, Green? Seems like you're a bit more perceptive than I gave you credit for."_

"You know my name?" I ask. Vio doesn't say anything, silently staring at him with wide eyes. The boy- maybe he's a ghost?- doesn't say anything in response, just snickering under his breath at me as if I'd said something particularly funny.

"Sh- 'Shadow'... Why... Why does that name come into my head whenever I see you?" Vio's face is pale as he says this, his gaze never leaving the mystery kid's barely-visible form.

It's hard to tell, but... This mystery boy, he looks... really sad. Shadow... A shadow? No, he can't be a shadow. Shadows aren't people- Ugh! S-suddenly- my _head!_ This pain... Ugh, like something is at the edge of my memory, about to surface... ...No, I can't catch it. The feeling's gone as quickly as it came. That was really strange.

Vio steps forward a bit, his face no longer quite as pale as before. "Please, tell me. I know you somehow, and I don't know why! Who-"

_"Vio... Green..."_ the mystery boy interrupts solemnly. _"You both want answers, right? Well... Here's mine. This is something you both need to know,"_ he continues, looking straight at us.

Yeah, those eyes are _definitely_ red. Like a flame, no... Like the moon. His eyes are the exact same color as the blood moon.

"Aaaah!"

We both grip our heads hard as a vision flashes into our minds, along with mixed, strong feelings: guilt, pain, betrayal, sadness, hate, fear, and uncertainty, then a spark of courage, determination... It's too much, I can't make out any more. Somehow, I can feel that this vision, or memory, or whatever it is, isn't mine or Vio's. It's... It's his... Ugh...

* * *

_"You coward! If you're a shadow, then how about staying behind us like a normal one!", someone yells, sounding like Blue. I can't see anything except dim, shifting silhouettes in dark shades of gray. It's blurry, but I think a battle is taking place..._

***BOOM!***

_"Ow, not again..." the "Blue" voice mutters._

_"Eek!" another voice, sounding like Red's, exclaims in a frightened tone._

_**"You said it... You said the one phrase I hate most! The things you call "shadows"... You shall see the wrath of their dark power!"**__ an angry, familiar voice yells. It's... that boy's voice, I think, but it's different somehow. Darker..._

***BOOOOM!***

_"Waaah!" several voices yelp at once, mingled together._

_**"You are not needed... I AM you!"**_

_**

* * *

**_

_"He's our shadow... Shadow Link."_

* * *

What... What was that just now? These words, coming into my mind all of a sudden...! I put a hand to my head, trying to ease the dull throbbing pain pounding against my skull. Looking over at Vio, it's easy to see that he saw them, too. For all I know, he probably saw more than I did, anyway... Ugh! H-here it comes again...!

* * *

_**"TH-THE DARK MIRROR! SHADOW LINK, HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND? THE MIRROR IS **_**YOUR**_** SOURCE OF LIFE AS WELL!"**__ a deep, dark voice calls out in a panicked tone._

_**"Heheh... That's alright. I came out of the Dark Mirror. And with its power, I woke you. How fitting that I should use it to destroy us BOTH!"**__ the voice from before- the mystery boy? -says determinedly, letting out a tired laugh._

_**"**_**STOOOOP!**_**"**_

***CRASH!***

_**"So it's true..."**__ he mumbles, his voice faint and weak._

_**"Neither of us is what we're supposed to be. I can see it. That reflection of yours... And here I thought he had outdone himself with me! You... Just who are you, really? I saw the real you, in the Mirror... Not a demon, but... never mind. You can't even hear me anymore, can you? But, maybe... maybe I'm helping someone other than just Vio and the others after all..."**_

_**

* * *

**_

"Ouch..."

I pick myself up out of the grass and look over at Vio. He's doing the same.

"Was that... a dream?" I mumble.

I look around, but there's no trace of that boy. Maybe I just imagined the whole thing? But, that last part... It sticks in my head. Who was he talking to? I feel like it's important.

Vio doesn't meet my gaze, looking even more distant than before. "Green. Go back to the castle. I need some time alone, that's all. I'll catch up to you in a minute."

I don't press him for information this time, not wanting to get him mad at me again.

"Alright, but if you take too long, I'm coming back to get you, okay?"

"Yeah..." He nods absently, looking at the tree. Is he even paying attention?

"See you back at the castle, Vio."

I turn around and start to walk away, then notice something glimmering in the grass nearby.

"Huh...?"

I bend down and pick it up.

"What's this?"

I've found what looks like half of a round, flat disk made of stone. It's pure white in color, with some kind of unfinished design on it, part of a symbol, I think. A word or emblem in Ancient Hylian, maybe? The stone looks almost like a puzzle piece. It's interesting, so I'll keep it. Maybe someone in town can tell me more about it.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for taking so long...**


	5. Chapter 5

Note: There has been a time-skip, just so you don't get too confused_!_

_i__-wish-799 and Nira Rose don't own LoZ... Much as we wish we did. Anyway, enjoy the story!_

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 5:**

**-?-**

(Shadow Link's PoV)

Seems like a week or two has passed since those four were at the Four Sword Sanctuary, huh? Heheh, time sure flies when you're having fun. I'm surprised I got let off so easy... It's almost too good to be true. Of course, being tormented with those vivid descriptions of all kinds of nasty scenarios wasn't very pleasant, but I guess I have no choice but to deal with it. Just being threatened with terrible, ridiculously scary punishments is way better than actually having any of those things done to me. I don't want to die again, after all! Ugh, just _thinking _about how angry she was makes me shudder. No wonder she's the Goddess of fire. I never thought I'd have a reason to thanks the Goddesses for anything, but I'm definitely grateful to Nayru and Farore right now. If they hadn't stepped in when they did... ugh, I can't even imagine what she was going to do!

"Man, is wanting to see those guys really so wrong? I mean, I was supposed to get the book to him anyway..." I mutter, sighing softly to myself.

I can't help it, wanting to see them. Not counting the Princess Zelda of a few generations back, they're the only ones who accept me for who I am. And Vio... Goddesses, where to begin? He's my first friend, my _best_ friend. I understand why he did what he did. I was too angry then to see it, though. Or maybe I just didn't want to see it. How sad he was... how sad he _still_ is, even though this Vio isn't supposed to remember me. None of them should remember anything from their past lives, never mind be able to see me.

Huh, maybe Din was so mad because I shared a memory with them? I was only trying to explain what I used to be, I didn't mean any harm. And all I meant to show them was that time when Blue told me to stay behind them like a normal shadow, which they'll probably need to know anyway! Ticking off shadow beings isn't a good idea, right? It was just a bit of advice. Dang short-tempered Goddess... What did she mean by "showing them their fate," anyway? Green's the hero, so his job's saving people, right? And Vio, well... ...Vio's just... he's _Vio_. What does the time Blue ticked me off have to do with fate? Ugh, I have to focus. Din really _will_ kill me if I mess this up, I can feel it. Time to get to work.

* * *

**-A steep mountain path leading to the Palace of Winds-**

(Vio's PoV)

"Come ON, Red! At least _try_ and keep up, will you?"

"I-I'm trying, really! My legs aren't as long as yours, Blue!"

Ugh, Blue's yelling at Red again. I wish he'd just be quiet for once. This path is pretty steep and narrow, after all. We all need to watch our step if we don't want to fall- huh?

"MOVE it already, Red!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

I shake my head a little to clear my thoughts. I could have sworn I saw someone up ahead, but it must have been my imagination. Unless... was it _him_...? I haven't caught so much as a telltale swirl of smoke or a flicker at the edge of my vision in days. He hasn't appeared at all since he talked to Green and I in Hyrule Field... Why? Is it because of what he showed me? Does he think I'll judge him for that? Honestly, he should know better. Blasting me with every little bad thing he'd ever said or done to us back then didn't faze me one bit. I understand his guilt... since it's mine, too.

"Shadow," I whisper quietly so the others don't hear me. Not that they would notice, anyway.

Green's lost in his own world, looking at that stone he picked up somewhere. The people in town didn't know anything about it, but there's an entry about it in the book Shadow gave me. It's called a Kinstone, and apparently if you match it to its other half something good will happen. The strange thing is, Kinstones were around _thousands of years ago_. Not now. Well, I remember seeing a few around back in town, but they were artifacts, worth countless rupees to collectors. They're supposedly quite rare, too. Why was one just laying in the grass like that? And why is it white? The entry about them only mentioned the colors green, red, blue and yellow. The symbol on it doesn't match the pictures, either. I wonder what the story behind Green's is. Of course, that's only the second thing on my mind right now.

I sigh quietly to myself, staring glumly ahead without really caring what I'm looking at.

Shadow... why do you still trust me? Why don't you hate me? What I did... I had to do it, I know that, but it still doesn't excuse the fact that I still _did it_. At first, you did hate me, or at least acted like it. It made it easier, just a little. If you could hate me that much, then you really were evil. I tried to tell myself that, to convince myself it was true. It wasn't. I knew that all along. You showed all of us that you weren't evil. At the Palace of Winds... at Sky-Tall Tower... you... you fought for us, even though you knew what it would cost you. First you pretended to be me so you could guide the others through the Palace while I was separated from them, even though you were hurt. And then, you... you...

I let out another quiet sigh, but the others still don't notice. For once, I'm glad I'm the most perceptive of the four of us.

It feels so strange to remember my past self. Was he really me? Were we the same, or only similar? Just how alike were we? How much did we share? Would I have made the same decisions as him? He betrayed our Shadow, but did I? He... he _loved_ Shadow. Is that the feeling that's been bothering me? I understand what he did and why he did it, but would I have done the same? How much of my life is going to be ruled by my past one? And why did the former me have to make things so Goddess-damned _difficult_? But the biggest question I have is: were we one in the same, or just a reflection of each other? ...Wait...

_"After all, you're just a **reflection** of us."_

Ugh... Remembering hurts. The things I said and did to him in that life... they're horrible. Every new thing I remember makes it feel like a knife is digging itself just a little bit deeper into my heart. It hurts. But I have no reason; no, no _right _to complain. This pain and guilt is inside me because of what I did. It's my fault. The past me did those things, but he was still me in that sense.

There's no use wondering about what we would do differently. It's too late for that. I killed Shadow once, though I knew he would be reborn from the Dark Mirror. Then he sacrificed himself for us, dying for real. How can I _not_ feel guilty? Maybe... maybe he doesn't forgive me. Maybe that's why he hasn't shown up again. Goddesses, maybe I was imagining him the whole time! I-I'm not sure which possibility frightens me more...

"Hey, Vio, why'd you stop? You're holding your chest. Is something wrong?"

Green's looking at me in concern. I should keep up a strong front so they don't worry about me.

"No, it's nothing. The air's getting a little thin, is all. I'm fine," I reply, lying easily by using a half-truth. The air _is_ getting kind of thin at this point.

I'm not fine. I know that. I don't blame Shadow for this, though. I'm sure I would have remembered these things eventually anyway. Besides, seeing him actually made it hurt less than before. I guess I'm just like my past self in this, at least. I think... I think I love Shadow, too. That must be why these feelings are so strong. He... he doesn't hate me. If he hated me, he wouldn't still be appearing, right? Of course, I could just be imagining the whole thing, but...

"Come _on_, bookworm! Quit spacing out or we'll leave you behind!" Blue yells from up ahead.

Oops, I stopped again without noticing. I need to cut that out or they'll start to suspect that something's wrong.

"Sorry, I was just thinking."

"Well then quit thinking and start _walking_, stupid!" Blue scolds me impatiently, his hands on his hips.

"_I'm_ the stupid one? Explain that, please?" I ask smoothly, a little smirk on my face.

"Why you little...!"

Heh. Blue's so easy to mess with. He's right, though. I need to keep moving.

I pull the book out to figure out exactly where we are. I guess the others don't really care about that, but it's best to be well-informed about places like this. Our destination is the top of that tall spire off in the distance, Sky-Tall Tower. If the legends are as accurate as they've been so far, then that tower is where Vaati is most likely to be. Hopefully, we'll reach him before he regains all of his strength or sets up too many traps.

Something I read earlier mentioned that many ancient villains of Hyrule often drew power from temples, throwing the land into chaos and creating a shield for themselves while they're at it. With the power of even one temple backing him, that monster will be far too hard to defeat. We need to hurry, but we need to know what we're dealing with here just as much. The book opens to the right page as usual; it always seems to sense what I want or need to know. The passage reads:

_"Having collapsed once before without its master's magic power to keep it in the air, the Palace of Winds now rests atop a mountain on the outskirts of Hyrule. Strangely enough, it landed directly on top of the ruins of an ancient Wind Temple, which can still be accessed if one can manage to find his or her way into the Palace's basement levels. Despite the damage it has taken over the centuries, this impressive structure has remained in remarkably good repair, giving off the feel of a long-deserted castle rather than of ancient ruins. _

_Of all the areas within the Palace of Winds, one section in particular has withstood the test of time with virtually no damage. This is the legendary Sky-Tall Tower, standing tall and proud as a testament to the strength of its master. Legend has it that even the stones themselves are still heavily infused with magic to this day, which is why the tower will not fall. Clouds veil its upper reaches from view, converted over the centuries from a den of evil to a shrine dedicated to the power of Wind and the Mage who wields it. Despite the fact that this tower has been cleansed of evil, Vaati has always returned here whenever he escaped from the Four Sword. This time is no exception. And yet... the air, normally ever-moving and breezy, is still. The Palace is silent. It is almost as if all the magic, the very life of this place, has been drained away."_

Huh? This book... it must be enchanted somehow. How else would it know that Vaati is here? That last line worries me, though. If Vaati really is here, then the winds blowing through this place should be even stronger than usual, not nonexistent.

"Hey, everything got really quiet all of a sudden. I wonder why," Red says curiously as the four of us make our way to the immense doors of the Palace of Winds.

It's slightly ajar, just enough for us to squeeze inside one by one. Just like the passage stated, the air is completely still. There was a weak breeze blowing just a few minute's walk down the path, but all around the Palace there's no trace of it. Something is wrong here... very wrong.

"I don't know, Red, but it's definitely creepy," Blue replies, for once not blowing up at the slightly shorter boy. It's just one situation that makes no sense after another lately.

"Something doesn't feel right," Green comments, looking even more unsettled then the rest of us. I noticed that he seems to enjoy it when there's a nice breeze blowing while we were making our way through Hyrule Field, so perhaps Green is sensitive to changes in the air?

"This is the Palace of Winds," I explain. "There should _always_ be some kind of breeze blowing here, but there's nothing. Everything is completely motionless, and it shouldn't be." I look around, also sensing the strange feeling permeating the air.

"Well _duh_," Blue says huffily, crossing his arms. "Even I can see that, smarty pants."

Green steps forward, intervening before Blue can start a fight.

"Come on, we have to find Vaati and seal him away before he goes after Hyrule again. We don't have time to stand here worrying about how strange this is." Green uses this as his reasoning, but I know he just doesn't want to hear Blue bickering anymore. What he said is completely true, though.

"E-even if this is a t-trap?" Red asks nervously.

"It might be," I say with a sigh. "But even if it is, we still have to continue forward. Green's right; the faster we get to Sky-Tall Tower and take care of Vaati, the better."

We begin to make our way through the silent halls of the palace. The shadows cast by our bodies along the walls and floor almost seem to shift slightly when I look at them out of the corner of my eyes, as if they have a mind of their own. The erratic behavior of our shadows stops whenever I look straight at them, though. All this tension must be getting to me; I'm imagining things. I have to focus. With a sigh, I look around the small chamber we have just entered. I'm tempted to share a bit more information about our current location, even though the others probably don't care all that much.

"This must be the antechamber to Sky-Tall Tower's entrance hall," I inform them quietly.

Green gives me a short nod though he's barely paying attention, looking a bit spaced out. Red is busy gaping at our surroundings while Blue just harrumphs and pointedly ignores me. What's his problem, seriously? I know he's the aggressive one, but does he have to be such a jerk about it? Oh Goddesses, I wish he wasn't such an inconsiderate dunce most of the time.

We push open the door, jumping in surprise when it slams closed behind us. The entrance hall before us is at least the size of a large ballroom. No matter how much I crane my neck, I can't see the ceiling at all. This round center room must continue all the way up the tower. Doors, ledges and windows litter the walls the whole way up, providing a dim light for us to see with. I spot a passage of stairs opposite of us, noting the gaping holes in the walls and floor as we cross the room. The bottom level of the tower must have taken the most damage when the Palace of Winds fell from the sky, after all. Rubble litters the area, making the floor treacherous to cross. After a while, we finally reach the staircase.

"Oof!" all four of us yelp in surprise as an invisible barrier pushes us back.

We spend a few useless moments trying to break it down, but nothing we try works.

"Great, now what are we supposed to do? This is the only way up!" Blue yells, just as frustrated as the rest of us.

"Hang on, maybe this book has some information that can help," I interrupt before Blue has a chance to attack anything.

"Oh yeah, the mystery book from Goddesses-know-where is going to save the day. Right," Blue grumbles testily, but doesn't object as I sit down and start to read some more.

I immediately flip to the entry about magic barriers. I wonder how I instinctively knew where that chapter was... I have to focus, this isn't the time to think about such things. If we don't get past this wall quickly, Vaati will surely have even more barriers and traps set up by the time we get through. Now, let's see.

_"Unless one is able to take out its power source directly, a magic barrier or wall can usually only be broken by the mage who cast it or by someone whose skill far surpasses that of the caster. In this case, the one attempting to break it must have something belonging to the caster such as clothes or hair, though even blood, tears or sweat would work._

_An item bearing great personal significance to the caster is equally effective. It will hold a trace of the original caster's magic, his or her "signature" so to speak, and cause the seal to recognize the one trying to break it as its caster._

_Each person's magic is different, but if one knows the original caster well enough, it is possible for one to break it with only that understanding and one of their belongings, regardless of one's personal magic abilities. There are also certain artifacts of great power that can break such barriers, but they are rare and hard to find.__"_

Hm? In the other passage, the word 'mage' was capitalized, but here it isn't. I have a strange feeling that may be important. There's nothing I can do about it now, though. Back to business. We don't have anything that belongs to him and none of us knows Vaati at all, never mind well enough to break a seal. The only method we can use is to take out the barrier's power source, but we don't know where or what that even is. Looks like we're at a standstill...

Wait. This palace crashed onto the ancient Wind Temple, which is a mighty coincidence in the first place. Perhaps we're meant to explore those ruins before scaling the Tower of Winds. But if so, how are we supposed to get down there in the first place?

"Huh?"

A subtle movement catches my eye. I turn to look, but I don't see anything.

"What is it, Vio?" Green asks. He's the only one really paying attention now, it seems, though he was spacing out before.

Meanwhile, Blue is busy glaring at the barrier as if he can somehow smash it with willpower alone, Red standing behind him and fidgeting nervously.

"I think there's something over there," I reply, walking over to where I saw movement. It's one of the holes in the floor. I carefully kneel at its edge and take a look. It's not far to the bottom, and I can just barely see what looks like an unlocked door down there. An unlocked door means we can explore, perhaps finding something inside that can break the barrier. I jump over the edge without a second thought, landing with a roll on the surprisingly soft plush carpet that lines the floor. Even though its appearance is ragged and tattered, this rug has held up quite well over time. I wonder what it's made of.

I can hear Red shrieking up above me, his footsteps carrying him towards where I stood a few moments before. Blue is shouting about how I'm an idiotic bookworm who can't see what's right in front of me, of course. Green stays silent but I can tell he's worried by the fast pace of his steps as he runs toward the gaping hole I had just jumped into. Green is the first to peek his head over the edge and Red's worried face appears a moment later. A relieved grin spreads across Red's face as he sees me safe and sound.

"Come on you guys, there's an unlocked door down here we can get through," I call up through the hole.

"Coming, Vio~!"

Red dives over the edge without a moment's hesitation. For a second I thought he was going to land on me, but he doesn't, tucking into a roll as he hits the floor with surprising agility and grace. It seems that despite his personality, Red still carries the same fighting skill that we all share. I should have guessed he'd be an acrobat by how often he seems to be running and jumping all over the place.

Green groans at our recklessness as Blue hops over the edge as well, brushing the dust off his clothes as soon as he lands. I guess he came to the same conclusion as me, unlocked doors mean the right direction. Green joins us in the basement floor soon after with a resigned sigh.

"Ugh, I hate basements," he mutters under his breath. My hunch was right, I think. Green prefers being out in the open air where there's a breeze over being indoors.

By the time he touches down I hear the door creak open, Red standing in front of it with an excited grin. As "Links," no matter how different we are, we all love adventure just the same. I can't help but smile as I follow them into the light emanating from the doorway.

* * *

**A/N: As an apology for taking so long on this in general, here's another update! Hope you enjoyed it!**


End file.
